Homemade Baked Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 2 Tbsp neutral oil
• 1/3 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp water
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425ºF. Set a wire cooling rack, or 2, on top of a baking sheet so the nuggets have a place to crisp while they cook.
2. In a wide, shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper cracked fresh, about 5 twists of a pepper mill. Stir until the seasoning is worked through, then pour the oil over the crumbs and mix again until everything is lightly moistened and sandy-looking.
3. In another small bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt with the salt and water until smooth. Aim for the texture of buttermilk or heavy cream: loose enough for dipping, but still thick enough to cling to the chicken.
4. Cut away any extra fat from the chicken breast, then slice the chicken into small pieces, about 3/4 to 1-inch each. A 2/3 lb. chicken breast should give you about 22-24 pieces.
5. Coat each chicken piece in the yogurt mixture, then tumble it through the seasoned crumbs until covered all over. Arrange the coated nuggets on the wire cooling rack set over the baking sheet.
6. When every piece is breaded, move the baking sheet to the oven. Bake for 23-25 minutes, until the coating has browned around the edges.
7. Take the nuggets out of the oven and let them rest for 3-5 minutes before serving with your favorite dip.